Like most teens, Maynard High School senior Esteban Barriga is dreaming of going to the prom. He wants to wear a black tuxedo and dance the night away. And he is hoping that Ellen DeGeneres will be his date.

But Esteban’s dream is much more than the simple wish of a young boy who wants to go to a dance with a famous television personality – it is the story of a mother’s love and perseverance and the community that has rallied to help make his dream come true.

Esteban was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) at the age of 2 1/2.

"He’s in the autism spectrum," said his mother, Maribel Rueda.

Rueda was told her son would never be able to communicate and would eventually be confined to an institution.

"I was just devastated," she said. "You think about all the dreams that you had for him – he’ll never get married, he’ll never go to college – all those things come into your mind."

Shortly after Esteban was diagnosed with autism, Rueda and her husband parted ways and Rueda was left alone to raise her son. Determined to help him "be all that he could be" she got three jobs to support herself and pay for Esteban’s therapies. Her mother helped care for Esteban when Rueda was at work.

Rueda credits early intervention programs with Esteban’s success.

"He had the right teachers and the right therapies and he has me who is very proactive," she said. "I just said he can do anything."

Today, he likes sports, dancing and watching Ellen DeGeneres’ show on TV. He helps out at home, and according to his mother, he has a terrific memory and is a technology whiz.

During a recent interview, Esteban proudly turned his head to show off the word "Ellen" carved in the back. With just a hint of a smile, he says he wants to take Ellen to the prom "because she’s funny, she’s happy, she likes to dance, she likes to watch sports, and she likes to sing."

"He wants to move to New York and live near Central Park. He wants to meet Jimmy Fallon because he makes him laugh. He wants to take Ellen to the prom. I take those things seriously. They told me he couldn’t dream – but now he’s dreaming," said Rueda. "So that’s a big deal to me."

Rueda cherishes each milestone in her son’s development.

"Any time he does something that is way beyond my expectations that I had for him it’s like a gift," she said.

Joining forces

Esteban told Rueda he would not be attending the prom because he had no friends, but he admitted he would like to take Ellen to the prom.

Page 2 of 3 - Rueda reached out to the school for help. Brian Kiley, a junior at Maynard High School and Esteban’s Peer Buddy, said he thought of "making videos and posting them on social media."

So, during his free period, Brian interviewed friends and took several videos of teachers, classmates and even the school principal, Chuck Caragianes – all asking Ellen to take Esteban to the prom.

"Then the town got involved," said Rueda, noting that members of the police and fire departments, McDonald’s employees, Porfino’s barbershop, "you name it, everybody," has gotten involved in making short video clips – 28 in all, asking Ellen to say ‘Yes’ to Esteban.

Caragianes said he is behind the project.

"Our community has really embraced [Esteban]," he said.

The project has had a positive impact on the school as well.

"There’s a certain joyfulness in the students that are doing this as well as the teachers, and that’s all for the good of the entire school," Caragianes said.

"I just hope it happens for him. He deserves it," Brian said. "He’s just a great kid."

Making dreams come true

The short clips have been compiled into one YouTube video, and posted on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" Facebook page. Esteban’s 7-year-old sister, Mariana, narrated the video.

"We used Mariana to narrate it because who better to do it than the sister who lives with him every day," said Rueda.

The video opens with Mariana saying: "My brother has a dream" and ends with a poignant plea: "Ellen please help us raise awareness because those like my brother who are teens and eventually will become adults have a lot of trouble finding resources after the prom."

Rueda said there are very few resources for adults with autism.

"[Esteban will] continue receiving services until he’s 22," she said, "but after 22 that’s it. By law he doesn’t get any more services. So he’ll be home with me."

The video serves two purposes, she said - it supports Esteban’s dream and it helps raise awareness. The video project has also helped Esteban realize that he does, indeed, have friends.

"I think this is a story that will teach the other kids that kids with autism have feelings, all they need is to be understood," Rueda said. "There are positive things happening."

She has also noticed the impact the project has had on her son.

"Now when he comes home – he’s accepted. He’s treated like a normal kid with dreams," she said.

Rueda has prepared Esteban for the possibility that Ellen will not go to the prom with him, but she is not worried.

Page 3 of 3 - "We still are winners, because Esteban originally said ‘I’m not going to the prom because nobody likes me.’ Now there’s a whole community helping somebody who thought he had no friends," she said.